Pneumatic tree.



PAIENTED JAN. 1, 19-07.

Nd. 840,150. f

1). M. REID. PNEUMATIC TREE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1905.

ATTORNEY INVENTOI? ms NORRIS PETERS cm, vusnmurnn, n. c

DAVID MACDONALD REID,

OF MINGO JUNCTION, OHIO.

PNEUMATIC TREE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed December 1,1905. Serial No. 289,894.

To all whom if may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID MAonoNALD REID, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Mingo Junction, in the county of Jefferson and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PneumaticTrees; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to produce a pneumatic tree orform-preserver'for boots and shoes, which is designed to be inserted andinflated when the boots or shoes are not being worn, the purpose beingto eliminate the wrinkles which may form when being worn.

Another object is to produce a device which may be used constantly topreserve the natural shape of boots and shoes when they are not beingworn.

Another object is to provide pneumatic means for exhibiting boots andshoes in store-display.

Another object is to devise a convenient shoe form or tree which may becollapsed and carried in small space while traveling or which may bealways kept in a convenient place ready for use.

Another object is to provide a device which may be used to preserveunusual shapes in boots and shoesfor instance, by building up withpatches on the exterior of the tree at places to correspond to wherecorns or bunions occur on the feet, so that when the tree is distendedin the shoe the shoe will be caused to retain or assume the right shapeto accommodate the said corns and bunions.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view ofthe tree or shoeform. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tree or form.

In the drawings, A is the upper and ankle the tree, composed of asuitable elastic material, which will retain the compressed air withoutleaking.

a is the sole of the form or tree. a is the waist of the sole, and a isthe heel portion and counter. It will be observed that the ball of thesole and the heel portion of the sole are very much thicker than thewaist. The sole and heel are made of increased thickness to securestiffness, while the waist is flexible, the object being to securesuflicient flexibility of the waist to permit bending the treeconveniently when inserting in the shoe, while the sole, being stiff, isreadily pushed forward into the toe of the shoe.

B is a metal plate to the circumference of which the upper edge of theankle A is cemented. b is a band which binds the said edge more securelyto the plate B. The said plate B is of approximately oval shape toconform to the shape of the ankle of the shoe, and said plate has acircular screwthreaded opening to receive the threaded cap C. c c arethumb-lugs, integrally a part of said cap C and which are used to screwor unscrew the said cap.

D is an ordinary returnvalve, such as is commonly used on pneumatictires. Said valve is screwed into the cap C.

c is a suitable gasket, which serves to make ap air-tight joint betweenthe cap 0 and the p ate B.

E is a pole, which is detachably connected by any suitable means to theinterior of the heel portion at e. c is a strap attached to the upperend of the said pole E. The purpose of the pole E is twofoldnamely, toafford a means for pushing the tree into the shoe and also to withdrawit therefrom with-v outstraining the upper A.

In operation the cap C is removed from 'the plate B, and the collapsedbody A is inserted into the shoe. The waist a being flexible permits thesole a to be pushed forward without straining the shoe or bootup per.When this has been hand, and by pushing upon it the heel part is forceddown into the shoe. If desired, the pole is then removed, or it may beallowed to remain in the tree. It is obvious that a longer pole thanshown may be usedof a length sufficient to protrude through the openingin plate B, which of course would necessitate removal when the tree hasbeen inserted in the boot or shoe. The cap C is then screwed into theplate B. An ordinary bicycle air-pump is then applied to the valve D andsuflicient air is pumped into the tree to secure the necessarydistention.

It is found that full sizes of the tree will answer for two half-sizesof shoes. For instance, a No. 5 tree will distend a No. 5 or 5% shoe,and so on, the material of the upper A being sufliciently elastic topermit this.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. Apneumatic tree or formfor boots, and

done, the pole is grasped by the shoes having a main body, the upper andankle'of which are composed of elastic mate rial, and having a soleflexible at the Waist and still at the ball and toe and at the heel.

2. A pneumatic tree for boots and shoes provided interiorly with meansdetachably connected to the heel portion for'i'orcing said tree intoboots or shoesp-or Withdrawing same therefrom.

3. A pneumatic tree for b ootsand sliloes provided with an elasti cupp'e1 ,-'a"so.le flexib'l'e at the Waist; detachable means at the upperpart of the ankle for opening or hermetically closingvthe tree',meansthrough which the tree may be inflated and means interiorly 15disposedfor forcing into or Withdrawing the tree from a boot or shoe.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence-oi two Witnesses.

DAVID MACDONALD REID.

Witnesses:

DAVID Torn, A. HAGERTYCI"

